1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feed apparatus for feeding image forming media, and more particularly to a feed apparatus capable of feeding a lot of image forming media by a relatively small drive power source.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of image forming apparatus, for example, electronic copying machines, there have been developed various types of feed apparatus capable of feeding a large volume of paper as image forming media, which is larger in volume than that by normal feed cassette. In use, this type of feed apparatus is externally coupled with a main body of a copy machine. The feed apparatus contains a paper table on which a volume of paper is placed thereon. The table is lifted according to a height of stacked paper placed thereon. The paper is fed to the copy machine, from the lifted paper table.
The conventional feed apparatus is so designed that a motor as a drive source for lifting the table, directly drives the table. To lift the table fully loaded with paper, a great drive power is required. Therefore, that the conventional feed apparatus needs a motor with a large drive capability.